Mole trap



.Ogt. l, 1929. c. A. WYMAN MOLE TRAP Filed Jan. 3, 1928 .%man

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Patented Oct. 1, 1929 UNITED STATES CHARLES A. WYMAN, or AUBURN, WASHINGTON MOLE TRAP I Application filed January 3, 1928. Serial No. 244,182?

This invention relates to mole traps of the trigger-releasing spring-actuated squeezingjaw type. t

The object of the invention is the improvement of traps of this character with a view of simplifying its construction and rendering it more efiicient than other mole traps of the referred to type.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation. representing the trap in its set relation; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of the same with the trap in its closed relation, said section being taken substantially onbroken line 22 of Fig. 4; Fig. 3 is an elevation taken from the right hand side of Fig. 1 except that the spring controlling rod or link is represented by dotted lines when arranged as shown in 10 Fig. 1 and by full lines in its safety position; and Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of the left hand side of Fig. 1.

In said drawing, the reference numeral 5 represents the body member of the trap and consists, preferably, of a wooden block.

Rigidly secured to opposite sides of said body are downwardly directed jaw elements 6 which are arranged in opposed relation with respect to a pair of aw elements 7.

The jaw elements 7 are provided by the side legs 8 of an inverted U-shape member having a transversely arranged connecting element 9. Said member is pivotally connected intermediate its height by means of pins 10 extending through the respective legs 8 and the outturned flange elements 11 of a bar 12 which is rigidly secured to said body and serves as a reinforcement therefor.

As best shown in Fig. 1 the fixed and relatively movable jaws 6 and 7, respectively are bent or offset as at 6 and 7 to afford suflicient spread between the a-ws when in their open position (Fig. 1) for the passage of a mole therebetween.

serrated to provide series of teeth such as 6 and 7 which are adapted to penetrate the skin of a mole without mutilating the same. For operating the jaws I provide a sear spring having a coiled central portion 13 be- The lower inner portions of said jaws are tween arm'elements 14 and 15. The spring arm 14 is secured to the block 5 by means of a staple 16 and engaging an extremity 1 1 of the arm into a hole provided therefor in the block as shown in Fig. 2. The other arm 15 is engageable against the element 9 within a notch 9 thereof and is bent to provide a' portion 15 which is adapted upon occasion to extend over the top of the block and through a notch provided in a metal plate 18 secured to the block.

The extremity of the spring arm portion 15 is formed to provide a loop 15 whereby connection is made with the loop provided upon an end of a latch rod l7. This rod 17 is adapted to be engaged at its lower end by the upper end of a finger element 19 of a trigger member, with an intermediate portion which extends horizontally, as at 19 below the block and thence downwardly to provide a trigger proper 19 Said trigger member is connected to the block for oscillatory movements laterally of the latter by means of a staple 20 secured in the bottom of the block and having the trigger element 19 operate in a way provided by a guiding attachment 21 secured to the back of the block. I p

22 represents a hook attachment on the block to receive the rod 17 near itsfree end in the position in which it is represented by full lines in Fig. 3that is, in its safety position.

When the trap, however, is set said rod occupies the position indicated by dotted lines 17 a in Fig. 3,, and is prevented from movement laterally'of the block by means of pegs 23, one at each side of the rod.

Assuming that H represents arunway for a mole below the ground surface S, the setting and operation of the trap may be explained .as follows:

To set the trap the mole runway H is desirably opened from above to the ground surface S, whereupon with the trap parts arii ranged as shown in Fig. 2, the jaws are forced into the ground substantially as illustrated in this viewthat is to say, with the trigger 19 into the hole and the jaws 6 and 7 in closed relation extending down- Rad wardly through such filled hole into the ground therebelow.

The hole is now filled with earth and the jaws 6 and 7 are forced apart by drawing toward each other the block 5 and the upper portion of the movable-jaw member. Such separating of the jaws is done manually to thereby position the aws and trigger in substantially the positions in which they are represented in Fig. lthe trigger extending into the filling of the hole or runway and the jaws at opposite sides thereof. In thus arranging the parts as above described the spring arm portion 15. is extended over the top of the block and seated in the notch of the plate 18, while the rod 17 bears against the plate and therebelow be caught in the safety hook 22 (Fig. 3) or it may be positioned as indicated by dotted lines 1% be tween the pegs 23 and held by the trigger 1919 as represented in Fig. 1.; Aft-er set ting the trap as above explained the same is sprung by a mole pushing against the trigger in either direction longitudinally of the runway and by reason of the trigger being located betweenthe planes of the jaws at the respective edges of the block, the mole is caught and squeezed between the jaws per taining to one or the other edge of the block.

In setting the trap it is desirable to first regulate the spring 15-45 and restrain the same by engaging the rod 17 in the safety hook 22 and then proceed as above explained by inserting the trap jaws into the ground while in their relatively closed positions and subsequently spreading the jaws for in this manner pieces of rock or the like are pushed out of the return paths of the jaws so as to obviate any obstruction to the quick closing of the trap when sprung and, finally, engaging the spring-holding rod 17 with the trigger arm 19.

Moles caught by trap constructed in accor lance with this invention are quickly killed by a squeezing action and the skins are not injured for commercial uses.

The invention will be understood from the foregoing description of its embodiment now preferred by me. It is inexpensive to manufacture, easily set, and sure in its action.

What I claim,

LA mole trap comprising. in combination, a body member, a pair of jaws extending downwardly from the body in spaced apart relation, a trigger connected to said body between said jaws, a second pair of spaced apart jaws pivotally connected to said body, a spring for actuating the jaws into closing relation, one pair with the other, one end of said spring being free and its other end connected to said body, and a rod pivotally connected to the free end of the spring and engageable by said trigger for releasably retaining the free end of the spring in its operable relation with respect to the jaws.

2. A mole trap comprising, in combination, a body member, a pair of jaws extending downwardly from the body in spaced apart relation, a trigger connected to said body between said jaws for movement transversely of the body, a second pair of spaced apart jaws pivotally connected to said body, a springfor actuating the jaws into closing relation one pair with the other, one end of said spring being connected to said body, and a rod pivotally connected to the other end of the spring and engageable by said trigger for releasably retaining the spring in its inoperative position with respect to the second pair of jaws.

Signed at Seattle, Washingtomthis 13th day of December, 1927.

CHARLES A. l/VYMAN. 

